Thank you for contacting Dr. Daria H.H. Greg & Co.

Dear Sir or Madam,
We thank you graciously for contacting the offices of Dr. Daria H.H. Greg & Co., where your fortune is our business. Please be assured that we will attend to your correspondence with the utmost diligence and alacrity.

At this time, we regret to inform you that Mr. Verulam is presently abroad for the indefinite future. If the matter is both delicate and urgent, and requires his immediate attention and unique expertise, he may best be reached by contacting Eric "Badger" Rushgour, our agent abroad in Kampala. Simply give Mr. Rushgour your personal client identification number and the details of your situation, and he will ensure that Mr. Verulam receives intelligence of your proposed venture as soon as is humanly possible.

If your circumstances are rather more perilous than you should deem comfortable, or communication abroad is impossible, you may find our district offices in Regent Street no. 12, Westminster. To gain admittance, simply knock thrice and ask for Tamerlan N. Aquilar.

As always, we appreciate your business, and hope to remain your first choice in overseas expeditionary ventures and acquisition of rare commodities.

Your servant ever,
Dr. Daria H.H. Greg, M.D., D.Ph., D. Litt.

Holly Beach Inn

These are a couple of photos I took nearly a year ago in Holly Neck, MD. Take a look through the series if you're so inclined. I returned to the spot this past May to find that the inn had been demolished, so I'm glad to have photographed it while I still could.

I am also, in a way, glad that the old building has been euthanized, as it had clearly witnessed the kind of things that shiver men's sanity to flotsam. Imagine this starlit husk on moonless night, the relentless splash of Chesapeake waves on the reedy shoreline, and a circle of hooded, shadowy wights chanting tuneless hymns to an alien god long-forgotten. If this scene reeks of truth (as I am sure beyond sure that it does), it savors thus only because it was so. Can you not see their dusky cloaks? The glint of ancient stars upon the high priest's blade? And as you gaze upon their primal rite beware, for can those baleful wraiths not also see you?

Adventure: Wicked Sick!

Things I am not sure how to adequately express: just how unbelievably awesome this morning's clue was.
Individuals quoted in said clue: Timothy Leary
Preparations suggested: purchasing a day's worth of food, propane, and bug spray.
Mysterious action hinted at: "Get high" and "drop out."
Clarification for emphasis: "We really mean DROP out."
Today's destination: unknown spot, 180 miles from Ashland, west along the California state line.
Things I do not know: what we're doing today. Not even a bit. And I love it.

And the AWESOME continues...

Adventure: Water-blogged

Location: Still Ashland, OR.
I was: so very wrong about the days activities.
We ended up: whitewater rafting from here to California.
OK, maybe I wasn't: completely wrong - we're going to see the Scottish Play tonight.

And the adventure continues...

Adventure: Late Breaking Update

Location: Ashland, OR.
Means of transportation: bucket-of-bolts from SeaTac.
Ashland is famous for: Shakespeare Festival.
Degree of certainty regarding what tomorrow's tasks will involve: very to extremely.

And the adventure continues...

Adventure: Update

Current Location: Moore Hotel, Seattle, WA
Going to: Pike Place Market; Bainbridge Island; Jackson County, Oregon (and beyond... maybe?)

And the adventure continues...

Adventure: First Stop

Current Location: Cyber Dogs vegetarian "not dog" internet cafe, Seattle, WA.
Eating: Veggie schnitzel with onions.
Eating with: Kaile and Katie.
Going to: The Science Fiction Museum, The Space Needle, Pike Place Market.

And the adventure continues...

A Short List of Things I Wish To Say

1. I took the MCAT exam this morning.
2. I am leaving at dawn for parts unknown. I am assuming I will not have access to the internet, so this will likely be my last post for at least one week.* I will post again when I return, perhaps with a tale of adventure and peril.

*Yes, I am aware that it's been more than a week since my last post. I was just getting you used to not having regular updates. Yes, I am aware that I never update regularly. I am also aware that shut the hell up.